The majestic Ta’ Pinu Basilica beamed in festive mode on Friday 4 September for the consecration of newly-elected bishop, fellow Gozitan George Bugeja. It’s not so frequent for me to be touched so deeply during a rather lengthy liturgy brimming with profound significance. Patri Ġorġ, as we will always fondly hold him, was humbly accepting Pope Francis’ mandate to serve in a completely different, albeit neighbouring, country.
On that intensely solemn occasion, we witnessed the tears of joy running down the cheeks of this dedicated Franciscan, silently embracing the new mission he is set to accomplish as chosen by the Supreme Pontiff - the new Francis himself. It was indeed a joy for him and for us Gozitans, but I dare say that during the ceremony I pondered also about the demanding challenges he will have to face in his new pastures, also in view of my role in the Special Task Force on the Middle East within the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean.
The new bishop I saw dressed in his full regalia, surrounded by several other bishops and clergy, at the centre of a packed basilica was the same unassuming friar I had met over the last months at Dar Padova in Għajnsielem where we unveiled our first night shelter for the elderly. In all our encounters and communications regarding this project, I could read in his peaceful approach the dedication of a man for his people. The learned friar, not unknown among the high echelons of the Vatican, has joy in his eyes showing his deep service of love for all those around him, particularly the elderly among the most vulnerable within our society. Reverence and admiration are only a small fraction of what the new bishop can evoke from one and all for his genuine ‘modus operandi’.
Patri Ġorġ will now move on to Tripoli as co-adjutor to the resident ailing bishop. His call comes at a time when the whole Libyan region – and the whole southern Mediterranean coast, for that matter – is entangled in deep warfare and loss of lives. He will be serving his people within an ambience of endless perils, further accentuated by an uncontrolled exodus of thousands of African and sub-saharan exiles risking their lives across the Mediterranean shores to distance themselves from endemic strife and poverty. His greatest strength will be his message of peace in the hope that all around, the mighty and the less powerful, would percieve and allow his dedication to serve and to heal.
Our thoughts will be with His Lordship during this time surrounded by the dark clouds of uncertainty. In his new scenario, law and order seem to be a far-distant dream and impulsive and vindictive violence amongst blood-brothers speaks louder that peace and co-operation. Needless to say, Patri Ġorġ will not shirk his call of duty and will brave the challenge with the same zeal and devotion that have characterised his pastoral work in Gozo and elsewhere over the years. He will focus on the most vulnerable in his new field of work.
His call of duty can resemble, although in much calmer waters, what we public administrators are tasked with among our own people. Yes, vulnerable people are at the very core of the services and support we are committed to provide. Looking at my own task, I have experienced those tears when witnessing the pitiful state of old people, literally dumped in some of the homes around the island. The look in their begging eyes and the sound of their crumbled voice will never vanish from my own memory ever since taking office.
That is not rhetoric! Those are downright facts which spurred me further to strive vigorously towards the fulfillment of the people’s mandate, well aware of my responsibilities towards the less protected in our society. I am part of a government that is committed to accomplishing what the majority has given its approval over and over again to perform. We are bound by our electoral manifesto to translate promises into tangible policies and projects for the common good of the whole nation – with special focus on the most vulnerable. We plan, we legislate, we reform, we budget and we upgrade and we can look everyone in the eye with all that we do for our people, through the endless list of projects accomplished.
The Maltese economy and all related areas, like employment, are forging ahead, putting our country among the best among its European partners, after long years of chronic inertia and humiliation. We never pretend to be perfect, knowing, however, that only the hard-working would need some periodic fine-tuning. We also know that to err is human, but we also know that only lazy administrators can pretend to be immune from error as they are intrinsically sinning ‘a priori’ of habitually and dismally sitting pretty.
With a closer look at my own portfolio, the list of tasks is never ending, but I take solace and pride in experiencing tears of joy in the eyes of those we serve. We do not simply provide support to persons with disabilities and older citizens, but we create the deserving space for them to lead a better active life where we aim at the best quality levels the country can afford. We often speak of their rights and we constantly act in that direction, formulating and applying national standards, through relevant legislation, followed by regular monitoring towards all necessary upgrades.
Indeed, we are mindful that we work for and in full support of the vulnerable persons within the community. We have set our aims through national strategies in respect of these people, considering also the support needed by their immediate families. We want to ensure that longer life expectancy is not only measured in the number of years. It is not simply ‘adding years to life’ but most importantly ‘adding life to years’. Quality and equality are the key factors in all we do while serving our people to enjoy their full dignity. Essentially it is a matter of fulfilling our call to serve!